The Scoop: Just Announced: Over the weekend, IFBB Pro Shawn Rhoden shined as the 1st place winner of the Open Division at the 2012 IFBB Tampa Pro Bodybuilding Championships in Florida. Another pre-contest favorite, IFBB Pro Toney Freeman was awarded 2nd place. IFBB Pro Hidetada Yamagishi, who had taken 2nd place at this contest in 2011, fell to 3rd place this year. IFBB Pro Roelly Winklaar took 4th place, and IFBB Pro Lee Banks finished in 5th place.

Andrew Oye's Verdict: Rising from an 8th place finish at the Arnold Sports Festival's 2012 IFBB Pro Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic Bodybuilding Championships back in March (won by IFBB Pro Branch Warren) to the winner's spot in Tampa against a fairly tough lineup is impressive for Shawn Rhoden. As I mentioned before, I see promise in Rhoden's future. With symmetry and classic physique lines wrapped in round muscle bellies, Rhoden is being likened to IFBB Pro Flex Wheeler (a comparison once also made about Toney Freeman, who continued the tradition of the X-frame physique). Now retired, Wheeler collected five Top 5 Olympia finishes and set a record for four Arnold Classic wins. Rhoden could follow a similar (or possibly more prosperous) path.